Diamond Offshore’s semi-submersible drilling rig Ocean GreatWhite has left Scotland’s Kishorn Port, heading to the North Sea to work for Siccar Point.

According to a report from Kishorn Port, the world’s largest semi-submersible rig left the port on Monday, March 4, 2019.

“Wishing the OGW, its crew and all the Diamond Offshore Drilling team all the very best from KPL, the Port staff and all at the Ferguson Transport & Shipping team, a very safe journey and transit to the West of Shetland and best wishes for a very successful drilling operation for Siccar Point Energy,” the port said.

The Ocean GreatWhite has made its way from Singapore, via Las Palmas in the Canaries assisted by the Alp Defender, a large ocean-going offshore supply vessel. It arrived at the port in mid-January 2019.

The rig’s contract with Siccar Point started in early March and is scheduled to be completed in mid-July this year. The contract is for three firm wells plus three option wells.

Owned by Diamond Offshore, the Ocean GreatWhite weighs in at 60,800 tonnes and is a 6th generation harsh environment drilling rig capable of drilling down to 10,000m in 3,000m of water. With a draft of over 23 meters, the rig needs deep water for anchoring.

As one of its five themes that will dominate the market in 2019, Wood Mackenzie, an energy intelligence group, in January included the comeback of North Sea exploration.

According to WoodMac, exploration in the UK languished in 2018, with just eight wells drilled, the lowest number since the 1960s. However, in 2019, WoodMac expects the UK sector to see between 10-15 wells with Siccar Point’s Blackrock and Lyon wells in the West of Shetland being the ones to watch.